OCA PRO BONO ATTORNEYS
MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR KIDS!!

IN THE SPOTLIGHT:

JOHN ANDRADE, ESQUIRE

John graduated from Widener University School of Law and has been practicing law for twenty-eight years. His primary area of practice is Environmental, Intellectual Property, and Products Liability. He has represented eleven children since starting with OCA. John decided to begin volunteering with OCA after being appointed to represent a mother in a termination of parental rights case. Throughout a seven day trial, he did not feel it was right for everyone but the kids to be represented. He then discovered OCA and has been volunteering ever since. He has also been a DVLS volunteer for the last twenty- eight years.

John thinks the GAL adds both common sense and an impetus to focus on what is right for the children instead of concentrating on legal positions. He has found that he has been helpful in bringing the parties together and typically all sides are supportive of the GAL, but admits the hardest part of the job is when there are no good solutions available and he has to choose between unsatisfactory alternatives. However, he feels the best part of the job is the kids and the interaction with them. One of his former clients goes to his daughter’s high school so he periodically gets to see her and how well she is doing.

John recommends more incentives for the parties to work together, and for Family Court to make a counsel table available for the GAL, as changes to the current system. He has been very satisfied with his time with OCA and finds that judges and litigants are happier that a GAL is part of the process. This is also true of the child clients who are old enough to understand that the GAL is there to help them.

MICHAEL ARRINGTON, ESQUIRE

The Office of the Child advocate is grateful to all the attorneys who have dedicated countless hours to representing children through our office. Right now, we would like to congratulate Michael Arrington, in particular, for five years of hard work.

A graduate of Widener Law School, Mike has now been practicing law in Delaware for ten years. His primary area of practice is civil litigation. In addition to the children he has represented for the OCA, Mike also does pro bono work for Delaware Volunteer Legal Services, the Project for Domestic Violence, and several non-profit organizations.

The guardian ad litem represents the best interests and the perspective of the child without any external influence. It is entirely for the child. That is what Mike likes most about the job: giving the court information from the child's perspective and thereby ensuring that the court will be capable of determining what is in the best interest of the child.

For him the hardest part is balancing this work on top of his normal workload, while still trying to have enough time for his family. Nonetheless, his colleagues say he always comes to court well prepared. He is described as a good advocate, who always treats everyone in the courtroom with respect and remains realistic about his cases. We thank him for bringing all these qualities to the courtroom for the past five years on behalf of the children he has represented, and hope he will continue to represent kids in the future.

ROBERT K. BESTE, ESQUIRE

Robert K. Beste, Esquire received his J.D. in 2000 from Widener University School of Law and obtained a clerkship for the Superior Court after graduation. He was admitted to the bar in December of that year and began practicing the following year in the areas of corporate and general civil litigation.

Rob attained his five-year volunteer status with OCA in January of 2007. Rob has been a solid volunteer since he took his initial training. He has focused his energies on teen boys, providing much more then just legal representation. Currently, Rob is representing his third teen boy, attempting to save a potential disrupted adoption. Before that, Rob has represented two other boys, taking a deep personal interest in the well being of his clients. Rob and his wife, Rebecca Beste, Esq. often work together to provide enriching experiences to the children they represent, such as taking them to baseball games or out to eat. This husband and wife team provides support to each other as they handle these difficult cases. (Rebecca is currently representing a young sibling group of two). While representing teenage boys can be difficult, Rob feels that he has had some successes; the greatest of which he believes was helping one client pass the Army entrance exam through tutoring and mentoring.

Our sincere thanks to Rob for his unwavering dedication to Delaware's children in foster care.

SHAKU BHAYA, ESQUIRE

The Office of the Child Advocate is fortunate to have over 350 volunteers. These dedicated attorneys devote countless hours to their child clients and we are eternally grateful to them. Although there are numerous examples of extraordinary attorneys who have done amazing things for Delaware’s kids, the Office of the Child Advocate has chosen to spotlight Shaku Bhaya as she celebrates five years of service for OCA.

Shaku is no stranger to pro bono work. As a member of the board of the YWCA, a volunteer for OCA and Delaware Volunteer Legal Services, among other things, Shaku devotes much of her time to the political empowerment and legal representation of women and children.

Shaku began representing children long before OCA existed. Upon graduation from law school, Shaku’s practice included family law work and even then, she gave children a voice. In her early days of practice, Shaku was appointed by the Family Court to represent kids and on her own, got involved helping families to adopt.

Additionally, Shaku was involved in developing the legislation that created OCA (for which we are eternally grateful) and was one of the Office’s first volunteers. In addition to representing one teenage girl, Shaku has represented her current clients—a brother and sister—for five years. Shaku talks on the phone with her clients and their service providers regularly, and travels to Georgia each year to spend time with her clients.

When asked why she does this, Shaku explained, “these kids are our future. Kids in the foster care system have so many strikes against them and they need a sense of empowerment and belonging.” She went on to say that “children’s voices are not heard. It is important for the Court to know who they are making decisions about.” According to Shaku, the involvement of attorney guardians ad litem gives the Court a three dimensional view of these kids and helps the judges to really understand what these kids are experiencing.

Tania Culley, the Child Advocate, commends Shaku for her incredible work: “Shaku’s longtime service and dedication to Delaware’s at risk children is admirable.  She has one of the most troubling cases OCA and the child welfare system have ever faced and has handled it with professionalism, compassion and absolute competency.  OCA is proud to have Shaku’s name as the first name on a soon to be long list of volunteer attorneys who have committed 5 years of pro bono representation to Delaware’s abused and neglected children.”

Thanks to Shaku for her dedication and high quality service to the Office of the Child Advocate.

MARY "MIMI" BOUDART, ESQUIRE

The Office of the Child Advocate (“OCA”) is fortunate to have over 350 Volunteers.  These dedicated attorneys devote countless hours to their child clients and we are eternally grateful to them.  Although there are numerous examples of extraordinary attorneys who have done amazing things for Delaware’s kids, OCA has chosen to spotlight Mary “Mimi” Boudart to honor her for his five years of service for OCA. 

Mary graduated from Temple School of Law in 1976 and has been an active practitioner for almost thirty years.  She worker for the City of Wilmington for three years and then went into private practice.  Mimi has been with Doroshow and Pasquale et al since October 1, 1984, where she became a partner in 1989.  While Mimi has primarily practiced in the area of family law she has had experience in and still works in a variety of areas including probate, wills, residential real estate and minor criminal matters.  Mary has used her wealth of experience to provide representation to children in five families through the Office of the Child Advocate. 

As for her experience with OCA, Mimi reports that she has enjoyed representing children through the office, crediting much of her success with children of all ages to her own experience as a parent, raising her own two boys.  Mimi says that, “most of the Family Court practitioners are great to work with since they know the law and appreciate it when a GAL is involved.”

When asked of her most satisfying experience as an OCA GAL, Mimi speaks of a family that she worked with in the New castle area.  The case went on for several years while the mother of her client’s worked on her issues.  Mimi successfully helped to negotiate a settlement whereby the children remained with their father and step mother and the interminable litigation was ended, allowing the children some relief and sense of normalcy.      

In recognition of her dedication and service to Delaware’s kids and the Office of the Child Advocate, we say, “kudos” to Mary “Mimi” Boudart!   

CURTIS BOUNDS, ESQUIRE

The Office of the Child Advocate (“OCA”) is fortunate to have over 350 Volunteers.  These dedicated attorneys devote countless hours to their child clients and we are eternally grateful to them.  Although there are numerous examples of extraordinary attorneys who have done amazing things for Delaware’s kids, OCA has chosen to spotlight Curtis Bounds to honor him for his five years of service for OCA. 

Curtis has practiced in the area of family law for the last fifteen years.  He has used his wealth of experience in the family law arena to provide representation to 7 to 10 children through the Office of the Child Advocate.  Curtis reports that he has always been an advocate for kids and sees service to the population of children that OCA works with as absolutely necessary. 

In representing children for OCA, Curtis has not failed to impress his colleagues and peers.  As Karin Volker, former DFS Deputy Attorney General reports, “I worked with Curtis on a case which involved five children he acted as the GAL for.  He was very involved with the children, the case and [was] a big help to me.”  Ms. Volker’s sentiments are echoed by another former DFS Deputy Attorney General, Craig Fitzgerald who reports that, “I enjoyed working with Mr. Bounds.  He always took his responsibilities seriously and cared about the children.”  Tania Culley, Child Advocate for the State of Delaware reports that, “Curtis is a well-versed family law practitioner who has been a great advocate for the children he has represented.”

Thanks and kudos to Curtis for his dedication and service to Delaware’s kids and the Office of the Child Advocate.   

GARY BRYDE, ESQUIRE

The Office of the Child Advocate (“OCA”) is fortunate to have over 350 volunteers.  Of those, more than 25 have volunteered for OCA for five years.  One of those dedicated attorneys is Gary Bryde.

Gary has been in practice for thirty years, working in a variety of areas.  Currently, Gary’s primary area of practice includes real estate, estate planning and business transactions.  Additionally, he volunteers for Delaware Volunteer Legal Services.  When asked why he chose to volunteer for OCA, Gary says there is a clear need for people to do so and that it seemed like a way to make a difference and help out.  In his view, there are “not too many more worthwhile things you can do.”

In his five years volunteering for OCA, Gary has donated more than 82 hours and represented six children.  He counts his first case as one of his greatest successes because he was able to prevent visitation that would have been detrimental to the children he represented.  He currently represents a teenage boy which he finds be a great challenge.  He describes his client as a good kid who he really wants to succeed.  To help his client do so, Gary arranged a summer job for him, investing a lot of his time into this particular young man.  Additionally, Gary recently took on two more child clients.

Dana Thompkins, a DFS treatment worker, describes Gary as “probably the best GAL that I have worked with.”  She says Gary “was very concerned about his client and contacted me on holidays to find out what kind of gifts he would enjoy.  He even went as far as to help getting him a summer job.  Gary is wonderful and I hope to work with him again soon.  I hope that his client realizes how lucky he is to have someone like Gary in his corner.”

Thanks to Gary for his devotion to and enthusiasm for the Office of the Child Advocate.

WILLIAM E. CHIPMAN, ESQUIRE

The Office of the Child Advocate (OCA) would like to honor William E. Chipman, Jr. for his longstanding service to Delaware's children. All of the over 370 attorneys who have volunteered hours through the OCA deserve both our thanks and congratulations, but we have chosen to honor Bill in particular because he has volunteered as a guardian ad litem (GAL) for a remarkable five years.

Bill graduated from Widener University in 1999. He currently works in bankruptcy law. He also does pro bono work for both OCA and Delaware Volunteer Legal Services. All of this together is quite a commitment, and he wishes that he had even more time to help.

With the time that he has found already, Bill has represented five children through OCA over a five-year period. He says that he first volunteered because of Tania Culley's pitch to help the children.

Since he has been volunteering as a GAL, Bill has been impressed by how much of a difference an attorney can make in a child's life. Bill remembers visiting with a child whose case he had recently taken on. Another advocate had helped the boy get into a local school, which turned out to be really good for him. When Bill visited the child at school the following May, he remembers being greatly impressed by the scope of opportunities that had been given to this child through his advocate's efforts.

However, according to Bill, the GAL receives varied receptions. He feels that it is often hard to deal with the parents in abuse and neglect cases; but on the other hand, he has found judges to be deeply concerned with the best interest of the child and receptive to what the GAL recommends in this regard.

We would once again like to thank Bill for all his time and hard work. It is greatly appreciated.

JOHN CONLY, ESQUIRE

The Office of the Child Advocate ("OCA") would like to honor John Conly for his five years of volunteer services representing Delaware's children.

John graduated from the Dickinson School of Law of Pennsylvania State University. Although his main focus these days is real estate law, he has also somehow found time for considerable pro bono work. This work has included a longstanding commitment to representing children through the OCA.

When John first volunteered for OCA, he did it because he thought his service might benefit just one child. So far, however, four children have already benefited from his work and dedication. He enjoys the fact that through OCA he can give children the sense that someone in the system represents their interests alone. And we can be sure that all of his clients are grateful that he was in the courtroom to always advocate for them specifically.

Naturally, there have been some difficulties to overcome. The hardest part of this work, according to John, is taking on the interests of children who find themselves in extraordinary situations (i.e. facing disabilities or acting as caretakers for their own parents), and whose needs are consequently not met by government policy. These children "don't fit into the pattern" of people's expectations and their needs are often not adequately met. They are especially in need of a voice within the system that can advocate their particular needs and interests. Such situations can be trying, but nevertheless he enjoys being able to find unexpected solutions to difficult issues.

Another difficulty is the fact that a child often has to change social workers over the course of one case. John says that if he could change the system, he would want to find social workers who will stay in the system as long as the child does and provide the child consistent support.

John's own dedication has been consistent over the past five years, and we would like to once again thank him for his invaluable service.

ARTHUR CONNOLLY, JR., ESQUIRE

Art graduated from Georgetown University and has been practicing law for forty-five years.  His primary area of practice is litigation. Through OCA, he has represented eight children.  He decided to volunteer so he could help disadvantaged children.  He is also in charge of the Pro Bono Program at Connolly Bove Lodge & Hutz LLP.  Art believes GALs ensure that children do not get lost in the system while their parents are not able to protect and nurture them.  He feels that the most difficult part of the job is seeing how unfortunate the lives of some children are, but the best part is seeing their lives improve.

LYDIA COX , ESQUIRE

Lydia S. Cox, Esquire graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1979. She has spent the past fourteen years in the Office of the Public Defender as a criminal defense attorney. She has just been transferred to Family Court where she can continue to make a difference in the lives of the children of Delaware.

Lydia began volunteering with OCA after Child Advocate activists asked her, since her commitment to children was well known. She has represented one child through OCA for the entire 5 years she has volunteered for OCA. She feels that GALs add another mind and heart to the process. They add their legal expertise and, because many of them are parents, they also bring compassion.

For Lydia, the hardest part is the realization that many children have no family to call their own and they have no one. She feels that the best part of the job is being able to facilitate the provision of resources necessary to help a child, and seeing the child smile.

CURTIS CROWTHER , ESQUIRE

After graduating from Widener University School of Law Curtis began practice in March 2004 in bankruptcy and commercial litigation. He took his first case with OCA in August 2002. Since then, he has represented eight kids. He is also a volunteer through DVLS and was recognized for his commitment to OCA and DVLS in April for the Distinguished Pro Bono Commitment Award by the DSBA.

Curtis decided to volunteer with OCA because he feels it is always rewarding to be able to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves. He thinks it is difficult to find an easier way to give back to those in need than through OCA. He believes GALs add the true voice of the “best interests of the child” in the process without interjecting what may be easier for DFS or the personal interests of the parents. He also thinks the GALs can help guide both the state and the parents in the process so that neither forgets that the proceeding is really about the children.

The hardest part of the job for Curtis is trying to remember that you have an objective approach and trying to separate out emotions while striving to make the process as minimally disruptive as possible for the children. The best part is knowing that “the best interests of the child” are heard in the process and getting the child to speak to the judges.

When asked about what he would change about the system Curtis responds, “I would add more Family Court judges and court staff so that hearings could occur more often and there would not be long delays between hearings. I think the system, and children, would benefit from more supervision by the judges. In addition, I would initiate a system where older children (ages 7 and up) would be encouraged to share their thoughts with the judge whether by letter or in person.”

DAVID CULLEY, ESQUIRE

The Office of the Child Advocate ("OCA") is fortunate to have over 350 Volunteers. These dedicated attorneys devote countless hours to their child clients and we are eternally grateful to them. Although there are numerous examples of extraordinary attorneys who have done amazing things for Delaware's kids, OCA has chosen to spotlight David Culley to honor him for his five years of service for OCA.  

Dave attended the University of Delaware, graduating with a BAAS in political science. From there he went on to George Washington School of Law graduating and becoming a member of the Delaware Bar in 1982. During his legal career Dave has worked for the Attorney General’s Office and practiced privately. Currently, his primary practice area is civil trial litigation.  

During his five years of involvement with the Office of the Child Advocate, Dave has handled three cases involving five children. When asked about his experience with OCA, Dave reports that he has found his involvement with OCA to be very fulfilling yet challenging. Dave says that, “The people I have worked with have been great to deal with, including the foster parents who take these kids in; it has been very positive.”

Dave’s commitment to these children is clear by all accounts. Mark Wells, a former social worker for the Division of Family Services reported that, “Mr. Culley was truly an advocate for the two children that were involved in the case, and he made it a point to visit the children at their foster home, as well as the visits with the birth parents. I truly appreciated the assistance that he provided in the case and hope that other Division of Family Services workers have the opportunity to work with him on their cases.” Dave’s level of commitment to these kids is only matched by his professionalism. As Susan List told OCA, “I had the opportunity to work with Dave on our first case for the OCA. I can tell you that Dave approaches his work as GAL in the same professional manner he approaches any work he performs. He will dedicate the time and energy to represent the child to the best of his abilities. His commitment to his profession is demonstrated in this because he sees this as his responsibility.”   

Dave believes his greatest OCA success to be related to the adoption of two children by a friend of their biological mother who, "saw that they needed a home and offered herself up." Dave further reports that in his estimation, resources are the greatest challenges facing these kids and families. He believes that there are so many needs and so few resources to go around in terms of housing, foster placements, mental health services and other needed services. According to Dave, "human frailties and needs are not easy to fix."

Like Dave, we here at OCA know how difficult it can be to secure the necessary resources for these children and families, but we also know how lucky we are to have GAL's like Dave Culley working to insure that those needs get met and the gaps filled. In recognition of his dedication and service to Delaware's kids and the Office of the Child Advocate, we say, "kudos" to David Culley!

ED CURLEY, ESQUIRE

A graduate of the Delaware Law School at Widener University, Ed has practiced in Delaware for twenty years now, mostly handling domestic relations and personal injury cases. He also does pro bono work with domestic relations.

He first became interested in the OCA from another seat in the courtroom. He was representing parents in cases that involved a guardian ad litem when he realized the necessity of having a GAL in the courtroom. So, he decided to become one.

The Office of the Child Advocate is certainly glad that Ed recognized this need, as he has now represented eight children through this office. Not only that; he has been volunteering through the OCA for over five years, and the office is incredibly grateful for all the time and hard work that he has put into representing the interests of Delaware's children.

According to Ed, the GAL's role is necessary for ensuring that the child's rights and interests will be protected. Without an individual advocate devoted entirely to representing what is best for the child, the child's needs may easily become merged with those of the parents, and the child's voice would effectively be lost. The child needs competent representation in order to be heard.

Being a GAL is, of course, not always easy. Beyond the time commitment, many of these cases can also be emotionally taxing. Ed says that the hardest part of the job is that no matter what the attorney is able to achieve in the courtroom, children are still subject to potentially traumatizing experiences that "they must endure through no fault of their own." The attorney can only affect a better outcome for the case, not cure the harm that has already been done. On the bright side, he gets to meet wonderful children who have a lot of potential.

BARTHOLOMEW DALTON, ESQUIRE

OCA has many dedicated volunteers who offer their time and talents to represent children in need of a voice.  Of these superb attorneys, we have chosen to spotlight Bartholomew Dalton to honor him for five years of volunteer service with OCA.

Bart received his J.D. in 1977 from the University of Tulsa and was admitted to the Delaware bar in 1978.  His primary practice areas are medical malpractice and personal injury claims.  He first began volunteering with OCA to have “the opportunity to be a part of group of lawyers who are attempting to help children in need.” 

Bart has spent more than 125 hours representing children in four cases, including two children from the same family who were eventually adopted.  He considers the adoption a very successful ending for the children, although he is quick to disclaim responsibility for that success.  “As in all of these cases, it took a lot of hard work from the [DFS] worker, DAG, judge and court staff,” Bart said.
 
Craig Fitzgerald, the DAG who worked with Bart on that case, called Bart “professional and prepared” in his work as a GAL.  “I enjoyed having him as the GAL on those cases,” Mr. Fitzgerald said.

“The reward” of being a GAL, Bart said, “is when you can help a child to get to a better place.  The frustration is when you can’t.”  He says his child clients’ most pressing need is “finding someone who cares about them and shows that care in real ways on a consistent basis.”  As a GAL for over five years now, Bart has been trying to do just that – and OCA is grateful to him and to all our volunteers.

SANDRA DEAN, ESQUIRE

Sandra Dean  began her work with the Office of the Child Advocate (OCA) over five years ago when she attended a CLE seminar presented by OCA and signed up to take occasional cases. Sandra has been an active member of the legal community and in addition to her work with OCA, Sandra has been a public defender in Kent County for about 15 years and she runs a small private practice in Camden.

Sandra enjoys her work with OCA because an attorney “rounds out” the services available for children. As a guardian ad litem, she gives children the possibility of legal recourse and some oversight of the services the children receive from other agencies.

While volunteering for OCA, Sandra has represented four children including one case that has just begun recently. Sandra has reported that the outcomes of her cases have been generally positive. She says that although the children generally have such a large array of social, medial, and emotional problems, her representation has not been “dispositive.”  Sandra’s interaction with social workers and others in the cases has been effective and helpful.

As time and her caseload permit, Sandra will continue to take OCA cases because “the program is valuable to the children.” We are very fortunate to have Sandra as a pro bono attorney for this office.

KIM DEBONTE, ESQUIRE

For ten years Kim DeBonte has been practicing law in Domestic Relations after graduating from Widener University School of Law. She is one of the musical artists on both courthouse blues music cds, “Remanded,” which will be coming out soon. She has represented five children with OCA after being involved with a groundbreaking case. She realized that attorneys have the ability to effectively get children’s voices heard.

Kim believes that GALs add zealous representation for children. They also are able to utilize litigation and investigative skills and knowledge of the court. She finds the hardest part being when a new case gets appointed to her and finding the reason why. The best part for her is getting hugs.

CHRISTINE DEMSEY, ESQUIRE

Tania Culley persuaded Christine Demsey  to take her first case for OCA.  Christine found her first case to be a “heartbreaker” because the client was a fifteen year old pregnant teen whose main wish was to find a family to love her.  The client was developmentally delayed and Christine taught her how to tell time and bought her a watch so that she would always be on time to meetings with DFS.

Currently, Christine is representing another teenager who will continue in long term foster care.  This case has been pending for more than three years and during those years, Christine’s client has been placed in numerous locations, including, a shelter, a detention facility, a group home and now a foster home.   Christine believes that the child’s DFS worker also helped the child when she was in a group home downstate because after her first term in high school, the child had good grades and even starred in a school play.   With Christine’s assistance, the child was able to remain at the same downstate high school, even after moving to a Dover foster home.  In addition, Christine was able to obtain an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for the child to help the child do well in school because the child had been diagnosed with learning disability years ago.

The most fulfilling aspect of this particular case for Christine is that there is hope now that this child will be able to obtain her high school diploma.  Christine’s representation of this child allowed this child access to many State services that the child would not have been able to access without Christine’s involvement.

When asked if she would consider taking more cases for OCA, Christine replied “yes, because God has blessed me, so why shouldn’t I work and return it to the community?”   Christine believes the best thing about taking OCA cases is that the attorneys really make a difference and “it’s important.”  OCA is in total agreement with Christine that the work that pro bono attorneys really do make a huge difference and that the work they do is tremendously important.  We extend our deepest gratitude to Christine Demsey for her dedication to these children.

JILL DiSCIULLO, ESQUIRE

After graduating from Widener University School of Law in 1999, Jill practiced in Pennsylvania and New Jersey until 2001 when she began practicing in Delaware. Her primary area of practice is Family Law, which encompasses divorce, alimony and property division, custody and child support, adoptions and guardianships. During her five years as a volunteer with OCA, she has represented four kids. She also does volunteer work with DVLS. She was intrigued with the kind of work OCA does and she wanted to be able to help guide kids through the system and give them a voice.

Jill believes GALs keep the rest of the players focused on the fact that these matters are for the benefit and best interest of the children and that the litigation and treatment must center on the kids first. She finds that the hardest part of the job is knowing that there is so much more that can and should be done, and that the kids lead lives that do not come close to what she would hope for for her own children. However, she finds the best part to be knowing that she is helping and having clients who are glad she is helping them.
Jill believes the system could be improved by having easier access to resources for the children and being able to make the transition to permanency smoother and more efficient.

EDWARD F. "MIKE" EATON, ESQUIRE

The Office of the Child Advocate (“OCA”) is fortunate to have over 370 volunteers.  These dedicated attorneys devote countless hours to their child clients and we are eternally grateful to them.  Although there are numerous examples of extraordinary attorneys who have done amazing things for Delaware’s kids, the Office of the Child Advocate has chosen to spotlight Mike Eaton to honor him for his five years of service for OCA.

Unlike many of our GALs, Mike’s primary area of practice is family law.  From the start, Mike saw the value in helping others.  Mike began his career as a public defender and as he describes, it, “I started my legal career in Family Court and have always felt a strong connection with Family Court…which also taught me the satisfaction of helping people in trouble.”  In addition to his pro bono work for OCA, Mike volunteers to do Friday Protection From Abuse cases a few times a year for the Victims Advocacy Program.

Since his first appointment on March 4, 2002, Mike has donated over 50 hours of his time representing 10 kids.  According to Mike, “[a]cting as GAL enables you to have a more direct impact on the decision making process….It also sometimes enables you to act as a sort of good will ambassador for the Court system and the justice system by your direct contact with children and their parents.”  The hardest part of the job, Mike says, is “being witness to the tragedy of broken families and having to sometimes help take children from parents that love them but are unable to act responsibly.” Conversely, the best part “is getting to meet the children and realizing that a six year old child, for example, can be more mature than his or her parents, knows exactly what is going on and can deal with it remarkably well.”

Thanks to Mike for his dedication and high quality service to the Office of the Child Advocate.  Neither OCA nor the children of Delaware would be the same without dedicated volunteers such as Mike.  

ELISA J. ERLENBACH, ESQUIRE

The Office of the Child Advocate proudly boasts a roster of over 250 Delaware attorneys who represent children pro bono. These dedicated volunteers devote countless hours to their child clients. For many, it is a life changing experience. These are truly the unsung heroes. We have so many examples of the tremendous work these attorneys have done, but we have chosen to highlight one young attorney this quarter - Elisa J. Erlenbach.

Elisa is a relative newcomer to Delaware, arriving in September of 1999 when she began working for the law firm of Richards, Layton & Finger. Originally from Wisconsin, Elisa graduated from Cornell Law School in May of 1999. At the suggestion of one of her law professors (to whom we are eternally grateful), Elisa applied for a summer associate position with Richards after her second year of law school. Elisa enjoyed her summer at Richards and fell in love with Delaware, so she chose to make it her permanent home!

Elisa decided to volunteer for the Office of the Child Advocate after receiving a letter from the Child Advocate, Tania Culley. The timing was perfect as she was interested in pro bono work, but was not sure how to become involved. When asked how she has found the experience, Elisa said it has been "very rewarding and very frustrating." With no prior Family Court experience, Elisa found taking on her first pro bono case to be a wonderful learning experience. She also found Family Court to be very forgiving of her inexperience in that court. Elisa has represented the same teenager in foster care now for over two years. We are constantly impressed with Elisa's dedication to her client. Elisa explained that there are times when she feels like she has made a difference, and other times when her heart is broken for her client. Elisa has recently volunteered to speak about her experience at the Women and the Law Retreat scheduled for March 5—6, 2004.

ELWOOD EVELAND, ESQUIRE

The Office of the Child Advocate ("OCA") would like to honor Elwood ("Woody") Eveland for his service as a pro bono attorney. He is one of more than 370 Delaware attorneys who have dedicated innumerable volunteer hours to the service of our state's children. We have chosen to spotlight Woody's work in particular because he has been working with the OCA for over five years?a great time commitment that deserves recognition.

Woody has over twenty years of experience in law. Having received his J.D. from Widener University seven months prior, Woody was admitted to the Delaware Bar and the U.S. District Court in December 1981. Recently, in 2005, he also gained admittance to the U.S. Tax Court. At present, he has a general practice and works mostly in civil litigation.

Over the course of his career he has taken on several pro bono assignments on behalf of both individuals and charitable groups. In January 2002, he took his first case for the Office of the Child Advocate. He says that he decided to volunteer his time and efforts to this cause because he felt that children were not adequately represented in court. This lack of representation is particularly troublesome because, in his words, "[children] are often those whose interests need most to be served, as they lack an insightful and coherent voice in the litigation process."

In the past five years, Woody has provided four children with an insightful and coherent voice. This service has required the sacrifice of a great amount of time and energy. Representing a child's needs is not an easy matter. As Woody points out, in a courtroom where everyone is playing a different role and following their own agenda, the focus may sometimes stray from the child's interests. Volunteer attorneys are therefore charged with looking after the child's short- and long-term needs.

Also problematic are the preconceptions that often surround the children and families involved in these cases. Woody identifies these preconceptions as his greatest concern with the way the system works currently.

In at least one respect, however, Woody finds children easier to represent than most clients: he can almost always be sure that he is, in fact, representing the "most innocent" party in the courtroom, as well as the person who stands to gain the most from the court proceedings.

Once again we would like to thank Woody for his five years of service and his focus on the needs and interests of the children he represents.

EDWARD FORNIAS, ESQUIRE

After graduating from LaSalle University undergraduate and Widener Law, E.J. Fornias moved from Pennsylvania to Delaware because he enjoyed practicing with Delaware attorneys.  E.J. remembers taking his first case for OCA because he wanted to handle a case that he believed offered even more satisfaction and fulfillment than his primary practice of plaintiff’s personal injury work.   

Currently, E.J.  is handling an OCA case  involving three children.  While representing these children, E.J. has been able to spend time getting to know one of the siblings by going to lunch with him, having him over to play video games and having regular telephone contact with the child.  This particular child did not have a male role model in his life, so E.J. was able to provide him with some insight, guidance and modeling that this young man otherwise would not have received.  E.J. prefers spending quality time with his child clients even to the court proceedings, as he believes that the out of court time is just as, if not more, important to some of these children.

E.J. reports that each of his OCA cases has had a positive outcome because each of his clients has been reunified with parents as each has desired.  In one of his cases, E.J. was able to witness a mother work extremely hard to complete her case plan and take every step that she needed to be reunified with her children.  Witnessing that mother’s success helped to change E.J.’s perception of many parents involved in the process.  Another positive aspect of these cases for E.J. has been working with the attorneys, judges and social workers involved because they have been extremely helpful and more than willing to explain the child welfare process to him, as he normally does not practice in Family Court.

He will continue taking OCA cases because these cases make him feel good about himself and the system and they provide him with the opportunity to give something back to the State that allows him to practice law.  He believes we have a responsibility to help other people and there are no people more deserving than the children involved in these cases.  In E.J.’s opinion, the best thing about these cases is being able to help a child in any way – even if that “help” consists of making them feel cool for even a few minutes or helping them to see that the system can work for them.  He believes that if he can provide these children with any type of help, then it is worth it.

We agree with E.J. that helping these children in any way – even if seemingly insignificant – makes the work involved in these cases more than worth it.  OCA appreciates E.J.’s consistent willingness to help Delaware’s children.

DAVID GAGNE, ESQUIRE

The Office of the Child Advocate has always felt fortunate that many Family Law practitioners have donated their valuable services for children in need of representation. One such generous attorney is David Gagne with the firm of Woloshin, Lynch, Natalie & Gagne.  As a Family Law practitioner, David brings a wealth of knowledge to the table that proves to be invaluable to his child clients.  David began volunteering for OCA in May of 2001 and has served continuously for over five years.  Over that time, he has represented nine children and contributed  more than 100 hours. 

David has been practicing law for 13 years after receiving his law degree from Widener University School of Law cum laude.  David’s primary practice area is Family Law, which, he notes makes it difficult to volunteer due to the time intensive nature of some of the cases he takes from OCA.  “It is at the back end when things get resolved that you get a tremendous feeling of satisfaction, because you have actually had input that makes a direct and clear difference in the children’s lives.”  David also notes the benefit of representing children as GAL rather than his traditional clients, “There is no hidden agenda like money or scorned mates. The Court realizes your involvement is for the child’s benefit and it is a neat feeling when the Court looks to you for input rather than at you as an advocate for a client.”    

David has seen and experienced challenges and systems issues during his tenure with OCA.  He has found it difficult when the child’s desires do not match what he believes is in his or her best interests.  He feels that this has been a recurring struggle in his cases to balance his ethical obligations and his client’s wishes.  While it is difficult to measure what his greatest success has been as an attorney GAL, he notes, “Although things don’t often result in fairy tale endings, the simple truth is you actually have made a positive difference.” 

PATRICIA GALLAGHER, ESQUIRE

Patricia Gallagher, who recently left Delaware to teach third—graders in Honduras, began volunteering with OCA more than five years ago.

She had previously volunteered with Delaware Volunteer Legal Services, and decided to volunteer with OCA so that she could serve as a GAL for Delaware children.  “I’d always had a special interest in advocating for children,” she said.

Pat has had four cases over the years, including one that lasted for more than two years.  The children she has represented range in age from 4 to almost 17.

“I think the biggest challenge is dealing with competing family factions,” she said, “when there are multiple family members ... who all believe they have the child’s best interests at heart.”

Another challenge, Pat said, is dealing with individuals who are slow to recognize the critical role of GALs, “which has an impact in terms of the GAL being informed and having records that they should have.”

She said the greatest joy of being a GAL is in “building relationships with kids, and knowing I’ve reached the point where they feel comfortable confiding in me rather than looking at me as one more adult who’s making their life difficult.”

When asked about her child clients’ greatest needs, Pat responded:  “Counseling, and it’s amazing how difficult it can be to get them that.”  She also said that the child welfare system needs to work more intensively with older children.  “It’s become abundantly clear to me that there are a number of children in foster care who will age out of the system, and these children need to have more resources for independent living and so on,” she said.

The Office of the Child Advocate is proud to recognize Pat’s five years of service as a GAL and her dedication to children, which will be sorely missed while she is in Honduras.  OCA is grateful for all of the 350 pro bono attorneys who volunteer their time to advocate for Delaware’s children, and we hope that in the future we can honor more of these devoted GALs.

KATHLEEN W. GEIGER, ESQUIRE

The Office of the Child Advocate would like to thank and congratulate Widener University graduate Kathleen Geiger for five years of volunteer service.

Over the past five years, Kathleen has represented four children through the OCA, all of whom were teenage girls. One of the hardest things for her to accept in these cases was that the damage that had already been done to these children might never fully heal. When she takes on a new case, the children have already been through a lot. "Life hasn't given them a break," as Kathleen puts it. For many children, State services become involved in their lives too late, only after they have endured great emotional and physical stress. This harm cannot simply be undone, so Kathleen says, "I try to remember that all I can do is be ready to help them as I find them, within the system."

Kathleen hopes to provide them with someone who is always "on their side," and who will stay with them constantly, even as they switch foster homes, treatment programs, caseworkers, etc. The guardian ad litem (GAL) can be a constant source of support for the child, in addition to her role of serving as a "check" in the system to ensure that each child receives enough individual attention.

Unfortunately, the support that a GAL can offer is also limited. A couple of Kathleen's clients have run into trouble after "aging out" of the system at 18. That's why she thinks that the institutional support the state currently provides just doesn't last long enough. It would be better for the state to support children until they turn 21 and are better able to care for themselves. "Kids with difficult backgrounds, special needs, no family support and no financial resources can't make it on their own at 18," she says.

According to Kathleen, representing children through OCA reminds her what is important in life. It exposes her to lives and experiences that she never sees in her primary area of practice, which is intellectual property, primarily patents. She finds it gives her perspective to see what some of these children are struggling through. Things like a good education and a caring family cannot be taken for granted--there are simply too many children out there without these advantages.

BILL GONSER, ESQUIRE

In 1980 Bill graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He has been practicing law ever since. Currently, he runs a family law practice with his son, Drew, another OCA volunteer. When he started volunteering with OCA in August 2002, he worked for DuPont legal – a job he held for twenty-five years. Since then, he has represented four kids through OCA. Bill also volunteers for DVLS, working on cases and doing PFAs. He also participates in the Volunteer Family Law Program and the Self-Help Center along with PFAs for the Victims Advocacy Program.

Bill’s reason for volunteering with OCA is because he was looking for a way to help children. He hopes that GALs help in overcoming obstacles and being a different perspective to the process. He enjoys seeing the children do well for themselves. The hardest part for him is watching the children continue down the path they are on even with all the help being provided, not caring, and not trying to take advantage of what is being offered. He also finds it difficult to see a parent make promises to be involved in his or her child’s life but not follow through.

MARK J. GUNDERSEN, ESQUIRE

Mark Gundersen has 28 years of experience in law, and considers himself to be "still learning." Having received his Bachelor's Degree from Cornell, he attended the Boston University School of Law, where he received his J.D. in 1979. Although Mark primarily practices corporate law (mergers and acquisitions), he has also taken on cases in the Family Court for the Office of the Child Advocate for five years.

Mark has represented two teenage males through the OCA. What he has enjoyed most about this experience is the opportunity to be a friend and mentor to young people who really need one. He has been in a position to help make sure that these children got everything they needed?from schooling to braces?and also simply to provide them with support. In his opinion, that is the main thing many of these children really need: someone to see them through all the ups and downs that come with growing up in foster care.

By virtue of the longevity of his volunteer commitment, he has been able to provide just that kind of constant support. He represented one young client for over five years, during which time, many changes took place in the young man's life?he moved all around Delaware, living in five different foster homes, two group homes, and a treatment center. Through all that, Mark stayed a constant in his life. When this teenager was on the point of expulsion, Mark helped convince the district to send him to another school, where he excelled. Thanks to the efforts of Mark and others in the child-care system, his client went from failing school and hanging out with gangs to graduating and matriculating at Del. Tech.

For the state to better care for these kids, Mark thinks that it is necessary that there be more facilities to accommodate them. There need to be more small schools for troubled kids, as well as more foster homes for them. He also thinks there should be a long-term group home in New Castle County.

The Office of the Child Advocate would like to thank and congratulate him for his commitment and service.

TIMOTHY HITCHINGS, ESQUIRE

Timothy Hitchings has been handling cases for OCA for more than five years. Mr. Hitchings first case involved a teen-aged male. He believes that everything he has done for the child has resulted in the best legal status for him. Ultimately, because of Mr. Hitchings work on the child’s behalf, the Court ordered that the child’s parents’ rights be terminated because of parents’ inability to raise the child. Mr. Hitchings worked well with DFS and speaks very highly of the child’s social worker. Mr. Hitchings continues to represent this child and believes that the child’s current placement is the best one for him, as the child is placed with a long time family friend. While he enjoyed working on the case, Mr. Hitchings has a new understanding of the difficulties adults face in communicating with teenagers.

Mr. Hitchings says he is willing to take more OCA cases because “doing OCA cases is part and parcel to who I am as a person. I like to help people. It’s all part of helping people.” What he finds more appealing about OCA cases is that “there is a recognition that these kids are among the most vulnerable.” He believes representing children “is an opportunity to help someone who literally cannot help themselves.” OCA looks forward to having Mr. Hitchings represent more children who cannot help themselves.

JANINE HOWARD-O'RANGERS, ESQUIRE

The Office of the Child Advocate (“OCA”) is fortunate to have over 350 volunteers.  These dedicated attorneys devote countless hours to their child clients and we are eternally grateful to them.  Although there are numerous examples of extraordinary attorneys who have done amazing things for Delaware’s kids, the Office of the Child Advocate has chosen to spotlight Janine Howard-O’Rangers to honor her for her five years of service for OCA.

Janine has dedicated almost her entire career to public service.  After graduating from law school, Janine joined Delaware Volunteer Legal Services (“DVLS”) as a domestic violence attorney.  After a few years, she ventured into private practice, devoting 95% of her time to family law, only to find that her heart was truly in public service.  She therefore returned to DVLS as a domestic violence attorney and began to recruit pro bono attorneys for the DVLS program.  On July 1, 2004, Janine became the executive director of  DVLS.  She is also one of the supervising attorneys for the Delaware Civil Clinic and teaches at Widener University School of Law.  Still, Janine makes time to volunteer for OCA.  Additionally, she has accepted Court appointments to represent parents, including minor parents. 

In all of her Family Court work, Janine has found volunteering for OCA has provided her with a unique experience.  She explained how attending an adoption hearing for a child she represented was the best experience she has had in Family Court.  “It was nice to have a happy ending,” Janine says, “it is not something you see very often.”  Moreover, she added that it was extremely gratifying in the end to see the children she represented were in happy and loving families.

Like many other OCA volunteers, Janine believes that more resources would better serve Delaware's kids.  While she thinks the Court does a better job than in the past of moving cases toward permanency, she explains that because there are not enough resources, children are not seen enough by their case workers, parents do not receive enough services, and there is not enough coordination among people working with families.

Accordingly, Janine believes that the guardian ad litem  (“GAL”) is critical to the process.  With all of the adults, lawyers, social workers and other service providers often involved in dependency and neglect cases, the child’s voice often gets lost in the process.  She believes the GAL is there to remind people that “we're here about a child.”

Other attorneys who have worked with Janine praise her for what she brings to a case.  OCA volunteer Kathryn Laffey, who worked with Janine during her foray into private practice, describes Janine as “a selfless advocate.”  Similarly, Deputy Attorney General Kathryn Welch says, “Janine was always well prepared and very familiar with the facts of the case and the issues.”  More importantly, Janine always had a good “understanding of the emotional nature of the case.”  Former Deputy Attorney General Michael Ripple had similar things to say about Janine:  “Janine was a great advocate.  Always well prepared and passionate about her work.  She did a great job.”

Thanks to Janine for her dedication and high quality service to the Office of the Child Advocate. 

MICHAEL ISAACS, ESQUIRE

The Office of the Child Advocate (“OCA”) is fortunate to have over 350 Volunteers. These dedicated attorneys devote countless hours to their child clients and we are eternally grateful to them. Although there are numerous examples of extraordinary attorneys who have done amazing things for Delaware’s kids, OCA has chosen to spotlight Michael Isaacs to honor him for his five years of service for OCA.

Mike attended James Madison University and then the San Diego School of Law. After law school, Mike spent three years practicing in California before returning to his home state of Delaware where he has primarily practiced in the area of real estate.

During his five years of involvement with the Office of the Child Advocate, Mike has represented two children. Both of these appointments have been long term cases the first of which lasted three years and the second, which is still ongoing, has now constituted a two year commitment. When asked about his experience with OCA, Mike reports that he has enjoyed representing these children through the office due, in large part, to the sense of accomplishment he has gained from helping these children gain a feeling of normalcy and some sense of having and needing a stable environment. Unfortunately, he has experienced heart break as a result of his involvement as well, when his first teenage client, after three years of representation, was killed in a car accident while out joyriding. Despite the devastation resulting from this loss, Mike’s OCA experience has solidified for him the importance of GAL’s in a child’s life.

Mike’s commitment to these children is without question. As one colleague, Janice Tigani, reports, “Mike was incredibly diligent in staying on top of the case, and had a better idea then I did as to what my client was doing/not doing. There is no doubt that he really cares about the children he represents.”

When asked what the greatest challenges are for a GAL and the kids in foster care, Mike addresses the issue of children turning 18 and aging out of foster care. He contrasts the desire of these kids to be free of the system entanglements with their undeniable need for further assistance to effectively transition into adulthood. While the issues are clearly difficult ones to grapple with, it is equally clear that having advocates such as Mike Isaacs is of tremendous value to these kids.

In recognition of his dedication and service to Delaware’s kids and the Office of the Child Advocate, we say, “kudos” to Michael Isaacs!

ANN MARIE JOHNSON, ESQUIRE

The Office of the Child Advocate (“OCA”) is fortunate to have over 350 Volunteers. These dedicated attorneys devote countless hours to their child clients and we are eternally grateful to them. Although there are numerous examples of extraordinary attorneys who have done amazing things for Delaware’s kids, OCA has chosen to spotlight Ann Marie Johnson Lanni to honor her for her five years of service for OCA.

Ann Marie received her BA in English from Bryn Mawr College in 1980, and studied abroad at the University of Exeter in England in 1983 before graduating from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 1984. After law school, Ann Marie was admitted to the Connecticut bar where she practiced for two years before moving back to Delaware in 1988. After her 1988 admission to the Delaware bar, much of her career was spent in the Attorney General’s Office working as a deputy in Child Support Enforcement, the Criminal Division, the Unemployment Appeals Board, the Finance Unit and Health and Social Services Division.

During her five years of involvement with the Office of the Child Advocate, Ann Marie stepped in to assist the office while Tania Culley, Child Advocate, was on maternity leave and has represented eight children. Ann Marie describes her OCA experience as, “probably the most rewarding work of my legal career, but also the most emotionally difficult.” Ann Marie tells OCA, “I have had a pretty varied legal background, as my resume will indicate, and in the past 15 years, most of my jobs have been part-time, or job sharing arrangements. The majority of my career has been in the public sector---serving the citizens of the state of Delaware in some form or other. When you represent these children, you really come up against some of the most fundamental legal and ethical problems that underlie our social system. Although parent’s rights are inherent in the legal framework, as a GAL you are freed from this constraint somewhat, as you try to evaluate, as best you can, what is best for this child. To the extent we are all responsible for every child in our community---you try to put that child’s interests first. Sometimes even the smallest contribution of time and energy is huge---just negotiating bureaucratic delay on their behalf as you move through the educational and social service system. has solidified for him the importance of GAL’s in a child’s life.

When asked to describe her greatest successes as a GAL, Ann Marie reports that, “Up to my most recent case, I always had success in finding an alternative or a solution, no matter how imperfect, for these kids. One boy I represented really wanted to meet his “real” dad, and he not only met him, but met an entire family---grandmother, aunts, half siblings, too. Another little girl I represented told the Court that she wanted to be “an attorney, like Miss Johnson” when she grew up. That meant a lot to me----I am not a particularly polished litigator, although I have had some success just being an irritant, and a negotiator.”

Despite the challenges and system issues that lie ahead for all of Delaware’s kids, who have been abused or neglected, and those of us working as GAL’s in the best interests of these kids, OCA commends Ann Marie for the work that she has done and continues to do for her child clients. It is in recognition of her dedication and service to Delaware’s kids and the Office of the Child Advocate, that we say, “kudos” to Ann Marie – Atticus would be proud!

FELICE GLENNON KERR, ESQUIRE

The Office of the Child Advocate has many volunteers who have devoted their time and efforts to represent children in need of a voice. Of these dedicated attorneys, we have chosen to spotlight Felice Kerr, as she has volunteered through the OCA for a remarkable five years.

A graduate of Suffolk University Law School, Felice has been practicing law now for seventeen years. Felice believes that every Delaware attorney should be required to do some pro bono representation. In addition to her work with the OCA, she has somehow found time to devote to several other volunteer causes, including taking cases for Delaware Volunteer Legal Services.

When asked why she volunteered to work with the OCA, she jokingly responded, "Tania and MC made me volunteer." However reluctant she may have been to start, Felice apparently enjoys being a guardian ad litem, as over the past five years she has represented eight different kids ? a rather significant commitment.

Felice's favorite part of the job is that it gives her the opportunity to focus completely on the needs of the child. Family law is her primary area of practice, and there is occasionally conflict between her client's interests and those of the child. Of course, she is bound to represent the interests of her client, whether or not they are always the best for the children involved. As a GAL, this dilemma is neatly solved: the child is her client. When she takes on one of these cases, she says the child's situation "becomes very real as opposed of being a set of facts on paper." And it is her job to do everything that she can in order to better this situation and have a positive effect on the life of the child.

In Felice's view, the contributions of GALs to the court proceedings are wide-ranging. Not only does a GAL give the child a voice, but he or she can also be an important source of information. They are able to investigate and acquire information on their own to present to the court. Additionally, they add a sense of balance and perspective to the proceedings, as they are not concerned with any of the other parties in the case?only with the child. We are, once again, very grateful to Felice for fulfilling this role.

KATHRYN LAFFEY, ESQ.

Prior to law school, Kathryn was a social worker and was interested in working with juveniles. After graduating from law school, she began her legal career as a judicial law clerk at Family Court in New Castle County. She has been practicing family law there ever since.

Once Kathryn found out about OCA, she immediately went to the trainings and took her first case, which involved a child who was very close in age to her own child, so she was able to relate to her easily and to her parents.

Kathryn’s favorite OCA case involved a twelve year old girl. In that case, things fell apart with the pre-adoptive home a week or two before Christmas. The child’s brother was medically needy and was in a different foster home because of his needs. Ultimately, the pre-adoptive home was approved, but Kathryn says that if the prospective adoptive home had not worked out she would have taken this child into her own home.

The most legally and emotionally involved case that Kathryn took involved an infant who was severely beaten by his father. The case was heard by the Court of Chancery and the Supreme Court because father would not consent to terminating life support because he would then be charged with more serious crimes. OCA offered her support in providing services/representation to the child. She worked with the hospital’s attorney and mother’s attorney to resolve the case. While the three attorneys had different perspectives, they were able to provide thorough evidence to the Court. The case was unique in that the Supreme Court handled the case in an expeditious manner, which was resolved in thirteen days. She won the argument and case, but tragically the Court’s decision allowed mother to choose to discontinue life support and the child passed away the day after the decision. Kathryn knows that the outcome, while sad, was right.

Kathryn says that the best thing about taking OCA cases is that “children are a lot more genuine, honest and sincere, and there’s not the bitterness, anger and hostility that you have with adults. They are really appreciative and they think it’s special that they have their own lawyer.”

In yet another show of dedication to these children, Kathryn has just taken another case for our office this week and has a hearing at the end of the month. OCA is very grateful to Kathryn for her years of service to our office and Delaware’s children.

KIMBERLY LAWSON, ESQ.

With a masters degree in creative arts therapies from Hahnemann University and having been the program director for child and adolescent day and evening treatment programs at a major hospital in Delaware, it was only natural for Kim to volunteer for OCA once she became a lawyer and began her practice as a corporate bankruptcy attorney.  Having worked with children in some capacity since she was 15 years old in roles ranging from a dance teacher, a YMCA lifeguard and swim instructor, a pre-school camp counselor and then a therapist, her venture in the field of law did not diminish her desire to work with children.  As she describes it, “when I entered the practice of law, I wanted to continue to work with and help children and the OCA seemed like a great place to continue my work with children.  And to date, it has fulfilled my need and desire to work with and help children.”

Kim has represented six children, through OCA, ranging in age from newborn to teenager and has impressed us all with her ability to advocate for her clients and navigate the system.  According to Kim, the GAL “gives [children] a strong and influential voice not only in court, but also in the world.  A good GAL goes beyond attending court hearings on behalf of the child.  A good GAL also helps the child with other aspects of his/her life, such as making sure that his/her needs are being met by DFS and in the foster care system.  Sometimes the most valuable role of the GAL is being a great listener for the child and advocating for what the child wants/needs when the child is not able to get those things on their own or no one else is getting those things for the child.”  She further relates, “one of the children I represented said it was cool having a lawyer because with one phone call I could get something done that the foster parents had been trying to get done for over a month.  The children feel empowered by a lawyer whose only job is to look after their best interests.”  The role requires the wearing of multiple hats, however.  As Kim explains, “sometimes you also have to play roles that are not within the definition of GAL, such as mediator between DFS and the parents.  And even though it is not in the ‘job description,’ it helps the system work better and serves the needs of the child.  This is particularly true when DFS and the parents are in a very adversarial position and the child feels caught in the middle.   In the end, the GAL is a voice for the child in and out of the courtroom.”

Despite the challenges inherent in the job, Kim points out that the best part is “seeing a child thrive in a healthy and safe environment, whether that environment involves reunification with the parents or not.”  If she could change anything about the system, Kim would change “the speed at which the system works and the type of workers that are assigned to the different cases.”

Deputy Child Advocate Lorin Hurst, who has worked with Kim when Lorin was representing DFS and since joining the Office of the Child Advocate wishes there were more GAL’s like Kim.  “Her background in the mental health field is such an asset to her clients—she is able to parse through problems and find the best way to help a child, even if that is not in the most traditional way.  In all of my experiences with her, Kim has gone above and beyond what has been asked of her come up with creative solutions for her child clients.”  

SUSAN LIST, ESQUIRE

Susan List was “recruited” by Tania Culley to take OCA cases over five years ago. Tania was very aware of Susan’s work with children in the past, and her love of working with children.  Susan has worked for the YMCA of Delaware with children and has always been a strong advocate of children's needs and rights. She has worked with children of all ages, with special populations, and as a mentor.  Susan says what she loves most about her work for OCA is that she is able to give a child a voice, a supporting hand, a compassionate listener, and she can do right by a child that may not have had that opportunity except for this wonderful program. 

The first case Susan took for OCA was a complicated one that involved four children, two of whom were represented by another OCA Pro Bono Spotlight recipient, David Culley.  In Susan’s case, the parents had hearing impairments and were not particularly aware of what was going on with their children.  At first, Susan felt that case was going to be a case where nothing short of a TPR would support the children's best interests, but ultimately, the parents were able to turn it around and start showing some major improvement.  Susan says she was happy that the family stayed together and they appear to be doing well since the case resolved.

Another of Susan’s cases is still pending and involves an infant.  The Court ordered a Termination of Parental Rights and Susan is pleased with that outcome as the child has been placed in a foster home in which she is loved, and which has been approved for placement for adoption.  Susan indicated that while it may not have been the happiest of endings for the whole family, it is the best result for her client, the infant. 

When asked why she believes this type of work to be important, Susan said, “[s]ure, we all have our own lives, we all have very hectic work schedules, but what is more rewarding?  A jury verdict, or seeing the joy on a child's face, a child who may not have experienced much joy, when you know you had something to do with making that child happy.  So, yes, I will take on other cases, even though my personal life and professional life commitments are growing by leaps and bounds.  I think it's the least we can do. “

We will hold Susan to her promise to continue taking cases as we are very fortunate to have Susan on board as a pro bono and we are sure that her child clients are equally as appreciative.

TITANIA MACK, ESQUIRE

Titania has been practicing for six years now, and over the past five years she has represented five children through the OCA. Her interest in representing children has a long history, beginning before she had a law degree. She first became involved with protecting children's rights during an internship that she had with the Legal Aid Society Juvenile Rights Division in Bronx, New York. This experience led her to take a clinical training program in family law at New York University School of Law, where she earned her J.D. Although her primary area of practice ended up being corporate litigation, she decided that she wanted to remain involved with family law and, if she could, have a positive effect on children's lives.

In Titania's view, the GAL's role is beneficial to both the child and the court, as it gives the child the feeling that he or she is participating, and provides the judge more of the underlying facts of the case as well as an understanding of the child's perspective. In her experience this arrangement has been effective. She attests to the fact that the judges and the childcare professionals involved in her cases have cared very deeply about the best interests of the children, and says that she only wishes that fewer children were in such difficult situations. It is not easy for her to have to help these children handle all the disappointments that they incur in their daily lives, and sometimes in the courtroom as well. But she is very content with the love and appreciation she gets from these children.

Beyond her work with the OCA, Titania has impacted the community in other ways: at present she serves on the boards of directors of two nonprofit organizations: Bethesda Clinic, Inc. and Community Legal Aid Society, Inc. Taken together, all these obligations represent an enormous commitment of time and energy, and the OCA would like to thank Titania for making the time to represent children pro bono for the past five years. Her hard work and commitment have certainly impacted a few young lives, and for that she deserves our gratitude and congratulations.

MARI ERIN MARIANI, ESQUIRE

Mari Erin Mariani grew up in nearby Pennsylvania and after graduating Villanova Law School she was privileged to clerk for the Honorable Jane R. Roth.  She has worked for DuPont Legal since 1992, and before that practiced with Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP in Wilmington. Aside from her full-time job and her volunteer work for OCA, Mari Erin spends the remainder of her time with her husband and three children.

After reading a memoir by a foster child, Finding Fish, by Antwone Fisher, Mari Erin was inspired to volunteer to represent a child in foster care.  In Fisher’s book, the author told of how important the caring adults he encountered in the foster system were to his later success, even when their involvement with him was fleeting.  Mari Erin found the blurred picture (the only one he had of himself) of Fisher on the cover of his book to be almost unbearably sad, especially when she considered the mountains of pictures she had of her own children.  She decided then to become a guardian ad litem so she could do at least some small things to help a child that is alone in the world.

Mari Erin finds the greatest joy in working with the children to be seeing all their talent, intelligence and great promise.  She also finds it rewarding to meet the many wonderful people who are involved in the foster care system and the Family Court.  We are grateful for Mari Erin’s dedication to Delaware’s children and are sure that her clients are too.

 

BERNARD MCFADDEN, ESQUIRE

"Tania twisted my arm" is the reason Bernard McFadden gives for his initial involvement in an OCA case. Apparently, that arm twisting began what has now been longer than a five year commitment to taking cases for this office.  

Currently, Bernard is handling a case involving a fourteen year old now who is a juvenile delinquent who has been abandoned first by his father and then his mother. Bernard describes the child as “a bright child, but he won’t do anything anyone wants him to do.” Bernard’s interactions with the child’s teachers have lead him to understand that the child was a good student until his father disappeared. Initially, Bernard believed that the child should be reunified with his mother, but now Bernard believes that reunification may not be in this child’s best interest.

The DFS worker involved in the case is Dana Tompkins, who said, “[m]y interaction with Mr. Mcfadden has been great. He jumped right into the case and has made every effort to look after the best interest of the child. Although I know that he has a very busy schedule, he has been at every court hearing and meeting regarding this child, including his counseling session. Although the child may not realize it now, he is very lucky to have Mr. McFadden in his corner.”

Bernard has spent an extensive amount of time with this child and makes it a point to visit with him on nearly a weekly basis, including school visits, counseling appointments and truancy court. Bernard admits that this child is in a difficult situation and that makes this the hardest case he has handled for OCA.

Last year, Bernard had a client who was a sixteen year old girl who was having problems with her family because they were devoutly religious. The child’s family and her church had disowned her. With Bernard’s and DFS’s assistance, the child started doing better in school, graduated from high school, turned eighteen and is on her own and doing well. Bernard believes that this case had a positive outcome because the child girl was bright and very mature about the entire situation.   

When asked if he would take more cases for OCA in the future, Bernard says he takes one case at a time, but he will definitely take more cases once his current case is resolved. Before Bernard became a lawyer he was a teacher and he enjoys working with kids. Bernard says that the reason he enjoys taking cases of OCA is “[i]t’s nice to get involved with kids again… because there’s some hope there.”

Our heartfelt thanks go to Bernard McFadden for his long term commitment to these children and these cases.

THOMAS MCGONIGLE, ESQUIRE

The Office of the Child Advocate would like to thank Thomas McGonigle for his great efforts in representing Delaware kids over the past five years.

Tom graduated from Dickinson School of Law in 1992. His primary area of practice is currently commercial litigation and government/regulatory work. To date, he has represented three kids through the OCA. He also chairs the Nursing Home Residents Quality Assurance Commission and is both a member of the Criminal Justice Council and chair of one of its subcommittees, the Victims Advisory Committee.

Like many attorney child advocates, Tom came to the job through Tania Culley's recruitment efforts. He thinks that the GAL is important as a check in the system that makes sure that there is someone involved who has no interest in the case other than protecting the interests of the child. In a way, being closely involved with these children has been a double-edged sword: on the one hand he admits that it can be emotionally trying to see kids who have been through serious abuse and/or neglect, while on the other he says that his favorite part of the job is seeing firsthand the results of a positive outcome for the child.

If he had to recommend a change to the system, Tom would like to see smaller DFS caseloads and less turnover between workers. Consistency is very important for children who are going through many changes in their lives and living situations. We would again like to thank Tom for being a consistent presence in the lives of his OCA clients over the past 5 years.

JOHN McLAUGHLIN, ESQUIRE

John McLaughlin has been practicing law for twenty-two years.  He graduated from Widener Law in 1985 where he went into private practice for seven years.  He then worked in the U.S. Justice Department until he began working as special counsel for Young, Conaway, Stargatt & Taylor LLP in 2000.  Mr. McLaughlin’s primary practice area is commercial bankruptcy.  He is also a former Captain in the U.S. Army.

John decided to volunteer with OCA because he believes that it is an attorney’s professional duty to return some good to the community at large, and in these cases to the community’s most vulnerable members.  In general, his experiences with OCA have been good ones, and he enjoys the matters entrusted to him even though the cases can sometimes be frustrating.  He finds it gratifying to be able to contribute at least a little to enhance a young person’s quality of life.  John’s greatest success being a GAL has been addressing a situation in which his child client had been wrongly accused of sexual misconduct toward a sibling many years before without any due process protections.

In John’s opinion the greatest challenge these kids face are parents who want to nurture their children properly but who lack the ability to do so because of their own emotional health, lack of maturity, poverty, and ignorance, causing the children to suffer. He finds the greatest systems issues to be the child welfare system being over-burdened and hindered by limitations in personnel, assets, and funding, as well as bureaucratic procedures that impair rather than enhance the process.  For John, the best thing about taking OCA cases is the ability to develop and maintain skills in an area of law totally different from that in which he routinely practices.

CAROLYN MCNEICE, ESQUIRE

The Office of the Child Advocate (“OCA”) is fortunate to have over 350 Volunteers.  These dedicated attorneys devote countless hours to their child clients and we are eternally grateful to them.  Although there are numerous examples of extraordinary attorneys who have done amazing things for Delaware’s kids, OCA has chosen to spotlight Carolyn McNeice to honor her for her five years of service for OCA. 

Carolyn received her BS in Biology from the University of Delaware in 1968 and worked as a Medical Technologist for almost 20 years before graduating from Widener University School of Law in 1987.  After law school, Carolyn entered the world of private practice primarily focusing on Child Custody and Support but performing other services related to divorce, wills and personal injury.    

During her five years of involvement with the Office of the Child Advocate, Carolyn has represented six children, with two currently active cases.  When asked about her experience with OCA, Carolyn reports that, in general, it has been great.  Despite Carolyn’s feeling that sometimes as a GAL cases take so long to resolve that one can start to feel as though they have failed to make a difference, she recalls that, “I have worked with many other GAL’s who were appointed by OCA to work with kids that I represent through the PD’s office or when I have been counsel for one of the parents.  I am always astounded at the commitment of the GALs – especially when they involve both criminal and civil issues – the attorneys genuinely are concerned and make special efforts to stay involved with the kids.”

Carolyn’s humility and modesty regarding her own efforts as a GAL are remarkable.  When asked of her greatest success as a GAL she talks about a teenage girl who had been passed from relative to relative after her mother died and her father’s whereabouts became unknown.  She reports that this young girl now lives in a foster home with her own eight (8) month old child, works part time, goes to school part time and participates in a support group dealing with issues of transition into adulthood.  According to Carolyn, this teenage girl is “remarkable – she is a success story – but not because of me, she did it all herself… [and] I can’t wait to follow her for the next decade – she will be one of those heroines you read about who rose above all and succeeded against the odds!”

Working with these kids has helped Carolyn appreciate the significant challenges posed by the educational limitations that these kids face as well as the need for continuing emotional support.  “They need to receive services past the age of 18 to transition into independent living.”   

Despite the challenges that lie ahead for all of Delaware’s kids who have been abused or neglected, OCA commends Carolyn for the work that she has done and continues to do.  It is in this spirit of giving that OCA, in recognition of her dedication and service to Delaware’s kids and the Office of the Child Advocate, says, “kudos” to Carolyn McNeice!  
 

BRUCE MCNEW , ESQUIRE

While the Office of the Child Advocate (“OCA”) is fortunate to have over 350 dedicated attorney Volunteers who have devoted countless hours to make a difference in the lives of Delaware’s most needy children, OCA has chosen to spotlight Bruce McNew in an effort to honor him for his five years of outstanding service for OCA. 

Bruce is a 1971 graduate of Brandywine High School and a 1975 graduate of the University of Virginia where he majored in economics and political science.  Bruce completed his formal education at William and Mary Law School where he graduated in 1979.  That same year, Bruce was admitted as a member of Delaware’s Bar and has since gained admission to both the Pennsylvania and California Bars.      

While Bruce primarily represents investors in class action and derivative suits in the Courts of Delaware and throughout the United States, during his five years of involvement with the Office of the Child Advocate, he has represented eight children in Delaware’s Dependency and Neglect arena.  Bruce describes his experience in representing children as “eye opening and rewarding.”  Bruce tells OCA that, “witnessing first hand some of the difficulties these children face is at times difficult and shocking; far different than reading about it in the paper.  That said, the experience has been quite rewarding.  Knowing that you have made a difference in a child’s life, or at least have tried, is a reward that cannot be compared to any other.”

Bruce’s sincerity and devotion to the representation of these children is beyond reproach.  As former Deputy Attorney General Lorin Hurst said, “I worked with Bruce when I represented DFS and was impressed with him from the start.  He wasted no time meeting all people relevant to the child’s life, including visiting dad at prison (his client was a baby and dad was accused of physically abusing her).  Although his client on that case was unable to communicate with him, he was a great advocate on her behalf.” 

Bruce candidly acknowledges that it is hard to think of any of his experiences in advocating for children as a “success”.  He believes that, “whether they involve seeing that an infant receives proper medical attention, is removed from an abusive (physically and/or chemically) environment, recommending that his/her parents receive counseling/parental training or removing a child from an incurably dangerous environment, these experiences all involve great elements of tragedy.  Attempting to resolve these tragedies usually involves choosing the best available alternative, not an optimum solution.  While it is rewarding to be of assistance to these children, I would define a success as preventing the occurrence of these problems in the first place.”

Bruce has come to believe that the greatest challenges these kids face is growing up “unscarred by their early childhood experiences.”  He reports being “amazed that despite what they have been through, these children can still laugh and smile.”

As for the child welfare system itself, Bruce says that, “The greatest challenge the system faces is a social structure which tolerates and/or encourages inappropriate parental conduct.  Aside from trying to find a way to prevent these problems from arising, the greatest issue the system faces is resources.  … [T]he people associated with the Family Court system, DFS, the Attorney General’s Office and the Office of the Child Advocate are dedicated and hard working.  They could do a lot with more personnel and funds.”

In recognition of his dedication and service to Delaware’s kids and the Office of the Child Advocate, we say, “kudos” to Bruce McNew!   

ELLEN MEYER, ESQUIRE

After years of practicing in the field of family law, Ellen Meyer has decided to retire; however, prior to her retirement, she represented many children for OCA.  All of her experience in family law, including membership on several DSBA committees, and the Family Law Commission, has helped her to represent these children most effectively.

She took her first OCA case because she “wanted to help the most vulnerable individuals--children.”   In that case, she enjoyed getting to know the teenager she represented and even took the extra effort of making her client’s birthday special by taking her and a friend to a country club for dinner.  Her client and her friend enjoyed the evening and were thrilled to have the opportunity to celebrate in that way. 

When asked what she believed to be the best thing about taking OCA cases, Ellen said it is, “the feeling that you are really having an impact on children's lives and helping them through a very difficult period in their lives.”

We regret that Ellen will be retiring because we are grateful for the time she has taken from her practice to help these children; however, we wish her the best of luck in her retirement and hope that if she ever has the desire to get back to the practice of law that she will get back into the courtroom representing a child.

PAULETTE SULLIVAN MOORE, ESQUIRE

The Office of the Child Advocate (“OCA”) is fortunate to have over 350 Volunteers.  These dedicated attorneys devote countless hours to their child clients and we are eternally grateful to them.  Although there are numerous examples of extraordinary attorneys who have done amazing things for Delaware’s kids, OCA has chosen to spotlight Paulette Sullivan Moore to honor her for five years of service for OCA. 
Paulette practices in the area of public policy and legislative work at the Delaware Coalition Against Domestic Violence.  Although Paulette jokes that she joined OCA to receive CLE credits, her work and experience prove just the opposite.  She has gone on to represent three children.  Not only does Paulette feel this experience reminds you of your blessings when confronted with other people’s struggles, she is also appreciative of the knowledge gained from it. 

Most importantly, Paulette feels the process of having a GAL is most beneficial for the children and the judges.  The children have someone to talk to, someone that values their existence, and especially someone who listens.  Similarly, the judges’ benefit from another source of information and knowing someone is talking to the c